Shelf, especially for refrigerators



March 30, 1943.

R. L. HALLOCK 'SHELF, EsPEcIA'LLY FOR REFRIGERATORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- Filed June 13, 1940 ATTORNEY.

March 30, 1943. R. L. HALLOCK SHELF, ESPECIALLY FOR REFBIGERATORS Filed June 13, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I I I I I INVENTOR,

A; ATTORNEY.

March 30, 1943. R. 1.. HALLOCK ,3 ,9

SHELF; ESPECIALLY FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed June 13, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 30, 1943 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHELF, ESPECIALLY FOR REFRIGERATOR-S Robert Lay Hallock, Larchmont, N. Y.

Application June 13, 1940, Serial No. 340,271

9 Claims.

My invention relates to shelves, especially shelves for refrigerators, and constitutes an improvement on the subject matter of my earlier Patent No. 2,173,108 of September 19, 1939. The object of the present invention is to provide greater adjustability in the shelf, particularly in that it has more positions of vertical adjustment, and also to provide mechanical improvements including certain self-locking features.

In the accompanying drawings:

ig. l is a front view of a refrigerator having a shelf in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the shelf, partly in section, taken on line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a bottom or upside-down view of the shelf, partly in section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail taken on line55 of Fig, 3;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the shelf in a different position;

Fig. '7 is a view of the shelf in what may be termed raised or lifted position, the sectioning being like Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is taken on line 98 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 corresponds to Figs. 3 and '7, but with the shelf in what may be termed lowered position; and

Fig. 10 is taken on line |-|0 of Fig. 9.

The refrigerator 8 has an interior food space 9 bounded by a liner l and in which is disposed a shelf Ill embodying the invention. Ihe number of shelves embodying the invention is, of course, optional.

Shelf ill includes a member (the shelf proper, which we may refer to asthe slab) on which one may put things. Slab II is a unit which is complete per se and removable from the space 9. This unit is made up, for example, of a substantially rectangular frame 12 across which are bars l3. At the back is a rail l4. The side parts of frame |2 are at a higher elevation to act as side railings and for another purpose to be described.

Below the slab II are supports l which'may be secured to the liner in known manner. Each support consists of two buttons situated close to each other and one above the other so as to provide a retaining space for a slidable and rotatable rod l6. Obviously the supports may be made of a single piece. In the embodiment shown, the shelf has'four supports, two near the door opening and two about half way back in the food space.

4 and 5) to engage over parts 34.

-dles 22' or directly pulling on. shelf slab moves-the shelf to, theoposition. shown in;Fig. 6,

Members It may be made of round metal rod bent to suitable shape. They include straight portions 18 of a length exceeding the distance between supports in accordance with the amount it is desired that the shelf shall slide. They pass through the spaces'between the individual pieces of the respective supports and have right angle bends to provide radius arms |9 (see particularly Fig. -8). The distance between the radius arms IQ of the same part It is less than the depth of the shelf slab, so that the longitudinal edges or frame parts of shelf slab I can clear the radius arms l9 when the frame is low ered. At the ends of the radius arms IS, the rods -|5 are bent at right angles to provide ledge parts 2| which pass under, and on which rest the longitudinal edges or frame parts l2 of the shelf slab The front ledge parts 2| are bent again at-right angles to form parts 2!] (see Fig. 4) andon these last parts are pivoted handle members 22. In the central or middle position of the shelf shown in Figs. 3 and 4, handles 22 engage stops 34 welded or otherwise secured to or forming-part of the frame l2. The handles constitute abutments which bear downwardly againstthe stops 34 of the shelf slab in this central position (see Fig. 5). In this same position, frame -|2 bears downwardly on ledge parts 2|. Thus the parts hold the shelf slab in a sort of wrench or torsion grip in the same manner as the parts 2|, 22 and 23 of my earlier aforesaid patent. The position of the shelf slab is controlled by stops 25 welded to frame l2, each part 25 being a wire loop open at the bottom to permit removing the shelf slab from the supporting and adjusting structure, and also by washers -26 fixed on ledge parts 2|. Instead of or in addition to providing washers 26 at the front ledge. parts 2|, a second .washer 26 may be provided at the rear ledge parts 2|, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, so that a washer will be provided on each side of the rear cross part of frame l2.

Springs 21 are provided to keep handles 22 pressed inwardly against parts 29. Handles 22 may also be provided with lock fingers 28 (Figs.

This necessitates lifting the handles 22 slightly to disengage them from parts 34.

The operation of the shelf is as follows:

We may say that as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the shelf -is in its middle position. The shelf may be slid outwardly by merely pulling on han- This The bars I6 move slidably in the supports I5. The forward position is determined by the abutment of rear radius arms I9 against the rear supports I5. Obviously the shelf may be loaded with food during this sliding operation. The downward thrust of the load is carried to the supports I through the rods or arms I8 and the handles 22. The top sides of the handles 22 engage the top of projections 34, and the ledge parts 2I engage the shelf slab on the bottom. The points of engagement of the handles22 with stops 34 are farther away from the lateral side walls of liner 8 than the points of contact of the ledge parts 2I. prevented from turning in this locked position.

The shelf may be raised from its middle posi-.

tion while the food load is still on it by raising handles 22 slightly and pivoting them outward.- ly to be free of stops 34, and then turning the handles 22' upwardly and outwardly to the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this position, the handles, when released from the hands, engage bends 29 of the side parts of frame I2. As shown, the handles are open inwardly to receive these projections, as by being made of sheet metal open at the back. Projections 29 may be notched to make room for locking fingers 28. When the handles 22 are moved upwardly the outer portions of the stops or loops 25 together with the locking of the handles 22 in the projections 29, determine the position of the shelf slab I I laterally of the food space. The downward thrust of the load is carried to the supports I5 through the rods or arms I6 including the ledge parts 2i. These parts also determine the vertical position of the shelf slab II. It will be seen that the shelf can be slid inwardly and outwardly while in this upper or elevated position.

By pulling the handles 22' outwardly to disengage them from projections 29 and swinging them downwardly, the shelf can be moved down to a lowermost position, shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In this position, the downward thrust of the shelf slab I I and its load is carried upward to the supports I5 through the rods or arms I6 including the ledge parts 2|. These parts determine the vertical position of the shelf slab II. In such lowest position, the upper side parts of frame I2 partly fit into the groove or neck depressions of the supports I5 to prevent lateral movement of the shelf slab, preferably, however, without resting on the supports I 5. As shown most clearly in Fig. 10, the upper side parts of frame I2 have moved into the recesses formed by the top buttons of supports I5, whereby free lateral shifting of the shelf slab I I is prevented. In this lower position, as well as the middle and upper positions, the shelf can he slid inwardly and outwardly. Thus in all of the positions of the shelf, the load is carried through arms I6.

In View of the foregoing, it will now be understood that an improved adjustable shelf has been provided which is extremely adaptable in use. In my aforesaid patent, in order to raise the two position shelf slab from its lower position to its upper position, the operating levers or handles require upward movement past the vertical planes of the rods or bars I5. In the present application disclosure, the handles 22 only need be moved upward into the vertical planes of the bars IB, so that the shelf supports I5 'do not need to project or extend inwardly from the lateral side walls of the liner as far as in the embodiment disclosed in my aforesaid patent. Moreover, in the. present application Thus, the radius arms I9 are disclosure positive locking of the handles 22 in the projections 29 is effected to hold the shelf slab in its raised upper position.

By providing an adjustable shelf structure in which the shelf slab may be adjusted to three positions, an extremely versatile shelf is provided. When desired, the shelf slab II can readily be removed from the rest of the structure. Referring more particularly to Fig. 9, this is accomplished by turning the handles 22 so that the ledge parts 2I are above the lower open portions of the loops or stops 25. In this relative position of the ledge parts 2| and stops 25, the shelf slab I I may be removed by raising it so that the lower open portions of the loops 25 can move past the ledge parts 2|. During normal adjustment of the shelf from one vertical position to another vertical position, the weight of the shelf slab i always borne by the ledge parts 2| and the latter can move freely from one end to the opposite end of the loops or stops 25.

The rear loops or stops 25 may be closed at their bottom portions, if desired. In such case the shelf slab is still readily removed from the rest of the structure by moving the front or forward ledge parts 2I above the lower open portions of the front or forward loops or stops 25. In this relative position of the forward ledge parts 2I and the stops 25, the forward part of the shelf can be moved clear of the ledge parts 2| and the shelf may then be moved rearwardly a small distance to cause the rear loops or stops 25 to slide off the rear ledge parts 2I. In this case, the rear washers 26 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 would not be used.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the actual structure shown in the drawings and described in the specification and aim in the following claims to cover all modifications and changes falling within the true spirit and scope of the invention. For example, more than three positions of the shelf may be provided by having plates on the shelf with any number of stops desired.

What I claim is:

l. A shelf organization including a shelf slab having a horizontal part and vertical side members, means for supporting the shelf slab at different elevations including a side wall and an element pivotally mounted on said side wall so as to be turnable from a vertical position to a horizontal position, and a lat-ch pivoted on said element and adapted to hook over said horizontal part when such turnable element is in its horizontal position, and to hook over one of said side members when said turnable element is in its vertical position.

2. A three-position shelf and supporting structure therefor including fixed supports, lateral members turnably and slida'oly mounted in said fixed supports, said lateral members including radial arms turnable through approximately a half-circle, a shelf slab adapted to rest on said radial arms, and means to hold the shelf slab in fixed position with the radial arms extended respectively downward, upward and sideward of the fixed supports.

3. A multi-position shelf and supporting structure therefor including fixed supports, lateral members turnably and slidably mounted in said fixed supports, said lateral members including arms turnable through and above and below horizontal position, a shelf slab adapted to rest on said arms, and means to hold the shelf slab in positions wherein the arms are respectively above and below horizontal position.

4. A shelf organization including a shelf slab having a horizontal part and vertical side parts, supports therefor, means turnably mounted on said supports and including elements for lifting said shelf slab to different elevations with respect to said supports, and latch members pivotally mounted on said elements and movable with respect thereto and adapted to engage with different parts of said shelf slab so that said turnable elements cannot turn during said engagement.

5. A shelf organization including a shelf slab. supports therefor, means mounted on said supports including elements turnable through a vertical path for lifting and lowering said shelf slab to different elevations with respect to said supports, latch members pivotally mounted on said elements and movable in a direction transverse to said path, and means on said shelf slab at different regions thereof adapted to engage said latch members to hold said shelf slab in a plurality of different positions with respect to said supports.

6. A shelf organization including a shelf slab having a horizontal part and vertical side parts, supports therefor, members pivoted on said supports and having arms projecting from the pivoted regions of said members and adapted to support said shelf, the turning of said members causing raising and lowering of said shelf slab to different elevations including elevations above and below said supports, a latch pivotally mounted on one of said arms and movable with respect to said members, and means on said shelf slab adapted to be engaged by the said latch to hold said shelf slab in an elevated position.

7. A multi-position shelf and supporting structure therefor including fixed supports, members pivotally mounted on said supports and having arms adapted to support said shelf, said arms being turnable in an up and down path to raise and lower said shelf, latch members pivotally mounted on the arms and movable in a direction transverse to said path, and means on the shelf adapted to be engaged by said latch members to hold said arms in a position in the upper part of said path.

8. A multi-position shelf having a horizontal part and vertical side parts and supporting structure therefor including fixed supports, lateral members pivoted at one end on said supports and having ledges at the other end supporting said shelf, said ledges being turnable from an upwardly extending vertical position to a horizontal position, and latches pivoted on said lateral members adjacent to the front of said shelf and adapted to engage different parts of said shelf to hold said shelf in different positions of elevation.

9. Structure as set forth in claim 8 in which said latches also form handles by which said lateral members may be turned.

ROBERT LAY HALLOCK. 

